Step by Step Development of a Content Experience Strategy

Content Experience means reaching your customers with purposeful content and creating a positive experience. The customers are the centre of the Content Experience.

You need to get their attention and offer them value in return for their time. To achieve this, the content (blog articles, videos, etc.) has to be of interest to your customers. For an all-round successful Content Experience, you’ll also want to showcase your expertise, create trust and, importantly, follow a strategy.

The development of an underlying Content Experience Strategy is crucial in order to make the Content Experience a success. As part of this strategy, a structure is created which allows for the continuous creation of content that is relevant to your target audience and aligns with your business goals.

Questions that might arise during the Development of the Content Experience Strategy

The following questions may arise during the development of the Content Experience Strategy and will be discussed in a series of workshops.

For example:

• Why develop content? What is the company trying to achieve (what are their goals)?
• What services or products should be given priority?
• Where does the expertise of the company lie and what are their USPs? And what should be communicated to the outside?
• Is there existing content? If yes, is it working or not, and why?
• What is the target audience of the company?
• Which communications channels are relevant for the target audience?
• What’s the Customer and Buyer’s Journey of the customers and how can content support these journeys?

Methodology and Course of Action

The approach for developing the Content Experience Strategy will be adapted to suit the needs of each client. Usually, the development of the Strategy involves a series of workshops:

1. Kick-Off
   The aims and basic conditions are discussed.
2. Workshop Part 1 – Creating Personas
   In the first workshop, depending on the requirements, 2-3 personas will be created based on the target audience.
3. Workshop Part 2 – Core Stories and Key Themes
   In the second workshop, so-called Core Stories are developed based on the personas. A Core Story is the guiding thread, which defines and determines all future content for each persona. The Core Story creates the connection between the persona and the company. Based on the Core Story, usually three relevant key themes are derived for each persona.
4. Workshop Part 3 – Strategic Foundation Document
   The Foundation Document is the backbone for the actual, continuous creation of content. Based on the Core Stories and Key Themes, the chapters of the Foundation Document are developed for each persona. Individual articles or content segments can then be derived from these chapters and can take the form of the various content types (e.g. blogs, videos, presentations, white papers, or webinars). If needed, the content can be organised and prioritised based on the Buyer’s Journey.
5. Workshop Part 4 – Definition of Channels and Content
   The relevant channels for each persona will be defined in this workshop. Existing communication channels will be evaluated and decisions will be made about which channels are to be used in future.

In the end, the foundation for the Content Experience has been laid. With the help of the personas, their Core Stories, Key Themes and their Foundation Documents, purposeful content can be continuously developed.

The documents are intended as a strategic foundation and can be used to brief in-house departments or external partners and agencies responsible for creating the content.

The following Services are included as part of the Content Experience:

• Definition of the goals and basic conditions of the Content Experience Strategy together with all stakeholders.
• Workshops with all relevant stakeholders (Personas, Core Stories and Key Themes, Foundation Document).
• Thorough report on the results of the workshops, which includes examples for content.
• Foundation Document as the basis for the continuous creation of content.
• Definition of content types (blogs, videos, white papers, presentations, webinars, etc.).
• If needed: organising the content based on each stage of the Buyer’s Journey.
• If applicable: further recommendations for content cooperation and partnerships.

Optional services

Recommendations on:

• Communications channels (social media, etc.)
• Strategy for User-Generated Content (UGC) and Community Content
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) based on the Content Experience Strategy

Are you interested in getting to know more about Content Experience?

Pia Melichar is at your service. Read also our blogpost about Content Experience Strategy.